


The Un-Grinching of Kurt Hummel

by EnchantedToReadYou



Category: Glee
Genre: Christmas, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-24
Updated: 2013-12-24
Packaged: 2018-01-05 23:55:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1100045
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EnchantedToReadYou/pseuds/EnchantedToReadYou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How was Blaine supposed to know that the stranger he picked up on Christmas Eve was the personification of the Grinch? And how was he supposed to know that by the end of the day he wanted to kiss said Grinch?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Un-Grinching of Kurt Hummel

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas (Or Merry holiday you celebrate) to everyone. This is dedicated to dressedupinlight (Tumblr) She is super duper awesome check her out.

Blaine had almost missed him. Had he looked a bit more to the right, or down to where his CD player was announcing the title of the next Christmas song, he might have.

Case was he didn´t.

Beside him the stranger sat, arms crossed in disgruntlement over everything the car encountered, the holiday itself and possible the whole world. The first thing Kurt Hummel had uttered after Blaine had stopped to pick up the stranger in an urge of supporting the Christmas spirit had been: “Are you heading towards Ohio?” Then:  _”You have got to be kidding me.”_

“What?” Blaine had asked, slightly shivering as the cold air disturbed the coziness of his car.”Was I wrong to assume you needed a lift, Sir? It happens to be that Ohio is my destination as well, so if you have no qualms getting into a stranger´s car, I´d be glad to be of help-“

“No. It is just, of all the cars that have passed by the one that stopped for me was Santa Clause´s sleigh covered in a double-layer of candy sweetness and the driver has a smile that resembles the beam of the brightest Christmas lights. Great.” Which had not sounded as great.

Blaine had gaped and considered snapping at the stranger when he remembered what day it was. Christmas Eve. And it was impossible for him to be mean at Christmas Eve. Either way it was too late since the stranger had sat down on the passenger seat with a sigh and had already buckled up.

“Sorry.” The stranger had murmured, fingering the tiny luggage he kept on his lap.”My parents taught me to be more grateful than that. Anyway, my name is Kurt Hummel and I hope you are not a serial killer. I suppose your car would be a good way to kidnap children though, with the way it looks.”

Blaine had chuckled and maybe, just maybe he could admit that lametta cutains hanging from the ceiling, candycanes forming “Merry Christmas” on the sideboard and the driver wearing a Christmas head with chiming bells while “Baby it´s cold outside” played through his stereo could come off as rather exaggerated. Still, that was how Blaine kept his cheer on the long and tedious ride home from New York City to Westerville.

“No I am not a serial killer and I hope you aren´t one either. That would kind of bum me out right before Christmas.”   
“Don´t worry. I won´t ruin the day you apparently savor. Not that it is of any interest for me how Christmas goes since it is a whole lot of rubbish invented to feed the consumerism in the world.” Kurt then had said.”Did you know that Santa Claus was invented by Coca Cola? Not much of a festive figure now, huh?”

And thus began an hour long discussion about the truthful meaning of Christmas that had ended with absolute silence on their parts because they could not agree with any voiced opinion of the other.

Maybe the drive would have continued that way if they hadn´t got stuck in the traffic jam, that was supposedly the last straw for Kurt. With a grunt he jabbed onto the pause button and stopped the Christmas music from playing. As if the music had kept him on the edge, its loss caused his whole body to relax into his seat while Blaine fumed.

“Hey, this is my car!” Blaine yelled. The cars in front of him did not move and he finally was able to turn to Kurt.

“Yes.” The man next to him replied.”But it is my sanity you´re threatening.”

Blaine scowled. Framed from the lametta, Kurt looked even more like a foreign angel having descended in the “Christmas-Mobil”, as Blaine secretly called it. Soft looking chestnut colored hair that he had swept up, revealing the pale skin of his face. Long eyelashes framing icy-blue eyes that reminded him of the soft hue of freshly fallen snow and stark red lips, colored like mulled wine. He was clothed in different shapes of blue that accented his eyes and his personality and were it not for his mood, Blaine would have started shamelessly flirting with him.

“Can I just ask you why you are such a Grinch?” Blaine wondered.

“I am not a Grinch. Green skin would not fit me well at all. Besides, I am not one to fall for a Who woman, or any woman at all. Should I elaborate?” Kurt replied with a slight grin.

In return Blaine huffed, resting his head on the sideboard, careful not to ruin the writing. The man he was facing was something else and right now Blaine was annoyed by that.

“Let me prove to you how high you´re up at the Grinch Scale.” He was quick to explain when he saw Kurt´s eyebrow rise.”It is easy. I just tell you a word and you tell me what you associate with it, alright?”

Contemplating the scale, Kurt scanned the car and the smirk that settled upon his beautiful lips did not sit well with Blaine. Which proved to be accurate with the words Kurt then said.  
“Okay, I will.”He paused.”But only if the music stays out for the rest of the drive.”  
Blaine hesitated but finally agreed. “Deal.”

Before Kurt could ask why Blaine seemed to be so happy despite his precious Christmas songs being taken away from him, the game started.

“Santa Clause.” Blaine said since it was the first thing his mind came up with.

“An overweight man that should lay off on his cookies and milk and start wearing things that do not involve red or fur lining. It does not flatter anyone to be dressed in all red. Also, again, he is a fictional  character created to make more money.”  
“Oh. Invented by Coca Cola to feed consumerism. Right, I remember.” Damn you Coca Cola. He could have lived without that knowledge.”Okay next. Snow.”  
“Dirt.”  
Blaine gaped.”How does-. Never mind. Rudolf.”  
“This is one thing I care about. A bullied reindeer that everyone only acknowledged when he was useful. Tragic story. Not quite as much as Bambi, but what is right?”

Both of them looked at each other before smiling. This time in content instead of malice.

“Gingerbread.” Blaine then announced.

“Delicious if done right.”  
“Wow, Kurt. Two things you like in a row. Your Grinch scale just went bogus with confusion. Now don´t disappoint me here. I was hoping for a better result.”

“HarHar.” Kurt answered drily.”I told you I am not the Grinch.”  
“We´ll see. For now you are only halfway through.”

The rest of the words were met with according answers that showed Kurt´s dislike for this holiday. Anything from Christmas trees to elves was shut down with sarcastic comments and glares meant for those things that brought other people so much cheer. Blaine was at his wits ends and starting to lose some of his joyful spirit, so he decided to end this game with the last and most important word for him.

“Christmas.”  
Again Kurt fingered his luggage and intently looked down on it. Outside, horns were blaring and some people were already out of their cars to share their plight with fellow drivers. Kurt very much looked like he wanted to be out as well, if only to avoid the answer to this word.

With a final deep sight he finally spit it out.  
“Christmas is the most awful day of the year. You see I work in a homeless-shelter after work and none of those people we help are ever happy on Christmas. While some brats are crying at home because Mommy wouldn´t buy them the newest iPhone, people out there are fighting to stay alive. Most of their children don´t even know about Christmas anymore, because how hard must it be to explain that ´Santa Clause´ only comes to rich children instead of good ones? It simply is not fair.” Kurt saw Blaine gaping and scowled.”So yes, go ahead and judge me for being the Grinch. At the end of the night so many people suffer more on the day everyone else is happy and I refuse to celebrate that.”

Not often Blaine found himself unable to speak, but this was one of those times. What do you say when you know someone is right, but you still want him not to be? Blaine didn´t know either, so in an urge to comfort the man he had known for roughly an hour, he took his hand and squeezed it. Kurt pointedly looked out of the window to his right, but squeezed back all the same. A warm rush went through their bodies, but neither commented on it and neither let go.

“I understand, but-“ Blaine started but was interrupted by someone knocking against the window, causing both men to jump in their seats. He felt Kurt´s hand recede and quenched the loss of warmth by cranking down the window. The man outside was middle-aged, grey hair at his temples and his pudgy face was bright red where his beard didn´t cover it. He looked every bit the Santa Clause Coca Cola had apparently invented.

“Hey. Just wanted to tell ya that we will be stuck in this shithole for several hours. Seems like damn trees have crushed onto the street a mile from here.”  
“Merry Christmas.” Kurt muttered.

“Thank you for informing us, Sir.”

The man let out a gruff sound and then proceeded on to the next car. Meanwhile Kurt´s smirk was back in place when Blaine looked over and his eyebrows were raised.

“I told you so. Nothing can ever go right on this holiday.”

Maybe Kurt was right again. Here they were, in the middle of nowhere, freezing without the motor running, lametta itching where it had gotten stuck in their clothes and in a horrible mood. And anyone other than Blaine would have just given up, succumbed to the Grinch and shut up for the remainder of the day. Instead his eyes lit up when Blaine processed the idea and Kurt lost his smirk.

He was in the Christmas Mobil, it was his favorite holiday and his favorite season and it was high time he spread some cheer.

“Whatever you are about to do, I won´t participate.”

“Kurt, listen.”Blaine said while turning to his backseat to retrieve the guitar he had stored there.”We really need to do this for the people outside.”  
“No we don´t.”  
“For the kids?” He tried.” For everyone out there freezing? Come on, you don´t even have to sing. You could just sway alongside me and give the people some candy.”

“No.”

“Please! I will grant you one small wish if you help me make this evening a little better for everyone.”

Kurt crossed his arms in front of his chest.”Tell me again why you even consider me helping you at this.”

“Because you are the Grinch, just not the Grinch I thought you´d be. Everything you said made me realize that your heart is three sizes too large.”

That was how Christmas Eve found two men sitting on the hood of the car, singing Christmas songs while stuck in a traffic jam. Of course Kurt had grumbled and moaned, but in the end he was smiling even brighter than Blaine as he watched children’s eyes widen with awe.

After the second song more people gathered around, swaying along to the familiar music and fighting the cold with candies Kurt gave anyone who passed and a woman handed cups of hot cocoa to the people. The third song left Blaine´s finger cold and stiff on the strings but he kept on playing.

_“I just want you for my own._

_More than you could ever know._

_Make my wish come true.”_

While singing, Blaine glanced over to Kurt who was currently leaning down so that the small girl could stick reindeer antlers into his snow covered hair. Kurt´s whole face was glowing, any trace of disgruntlement gone, leaving a man that made Blaine´s heart skip a beat. He noticed Blaine looking, but instead of taking off the antlers that went against anything he was at his core, he returned Blaine´s smile and sang along.  
 _“All I want for Christmas is you.”_

After that, Kurt accompanied every song, his voice high and clear and oh so perfect for Christmas songs. They sang until the strings of Blaine´s guitar was stiff and then they sang without it. They sang until they were drenched, only stopping to help built a giant snowman at the side of the road with the children. While Kurt didn´t help built it, he was the one for the appearance.

He even sacrificed his scarf to dress the most fashionable snowman in the world. Blaine had so much fun singing and playing with children and adults that he was disappointed when the cars in front of them started to fill as the traffic jam lightened. With hanging shoulders he walked back to his car where Kurt was already at, talking to some kids that clung to him.

“Excuse me.” A woman then said, making him stop in his tracks.”I just wanted to say thank you to you and your partner for doing this. My children now think you are even better than Santa Clause. They even asked me if you could come this Christmas instead of Santa. What you two did for all of us was truly a Christmas miracle.”

Blaine laughed, not bothering correcting her about Kurt and him.”Don´t bother saying thank you. It was as much fun for me than it was for everyone else and I think Kurt agrees.”

“You are such a lovely couple. The way you look at him is just- I think every person wants someone to look at them as you do at him.”

“Actually, I´ve just met him.” Blaine finally admitted.

“Oh.” The woman replied, but soon her surprised face was split by a smile.”Then I think you agree that you might need this.”

She pulled something out of her pocket and pressed it into his palm. Before Blaine could recline or even comprehend what it was, she scurried off, leaving him with something crumbled in his hands. He opened his hands, looked down on it until his brain processed what it was and then quickly shoved it into the depth of his pocket.

A mistletoe might not be the best thing to use to get Kurt to kiss him.

Back in the car he finally cranked up the heat and pulled a blanket from under the backseat. Of course it was red and covered in white reindeer and snowflakes, but Kurt did not even comment on that.  
“Sorry, I only have one blanket. Is it okay if we share it?” Blaine asked tentivly. He received a bright smile when Kurt glanced over and then a nod. Kurt´s hair was now sticking to his forehead and his cheeks were pink against his usually pale skin while his eyes glistened. Silver and golden lametta was now tangled in slightly crooked antlers, Kurt still wore.

They didn´t say anything for a while, only this time the silence did not feel like the air was getting thinner. Instead Blaine felt wholesome and in dire need to get to know more about Kurt, even though he felt he had already captured his core. From time to time their legs would touch under the warmth of the blanket, making Blaine smile even brighter.

“To be honest this is what Christmas should be about. Bringing cheer to everyone does not always involve amounts of cash, I truly believe that. Seeing the awe in the eyes of a child and knowing that you have brought that on, that is Christmas for me. Spending it with the people you love is as well, and yes, presents are part of this holiday as well, but they are not what brings everyone together.” Blaine said.

“Not everyone would agree with that.”

He nodded and his eyes on the road, he took a chance by grabbing Kurt´s hand. It was now slightly warmer than his, but Kurt did not seem to be bothered by the coldness.

“But you and I do.” Blaine said.

“You are right on that.”

For the reminder of the drive they spoke about anything that came up in their mind, seamlessly talking when one topic led to another. Gone was the stiff posture of Kurt and the dismissive tone. It was a bit like their day outside had melted away the remainder of the ice left in Kurt.

Blaine learned a lot about Kurt, not only through words, but also through his hands squeezing Blaine´s whenever he mentioned something he cared about, or completely relaxing it when he felt uncomfortable with the topic. By the time they had crossed the border to Ohio, Blaine felt like he had known this man for ages and how that was simply not enough yet. He was not in love with Kurt, but the potential to tumble and fall so quickly was likely enough to fill his stomach with busy elves, since butterflies did not fit the occasion.

“We´re almost there. I recognize some houses of small-minded people. How great it is to be home.” Kurt said, his hand relaxing.

“Who are you visiting? Your partner?”

Kurt rolled his eyes at Blaine´s pathetic attempt to find out if he was single. “No, not my partner. My ex broke up with me a few months ago and since then I enjoyed my life as an eremite.”His smile never faded despite mentioning a failed relationship.” My Dad only barely convinced me to come home this Christmas. He said he was the Ghost of the present, ready to teach me some lesson if I didn´t. I guess you and him are alike.”

“Your Dad sounds like a reasonable man, Kurt.” Blaine chuckled.

“That he is. He is the most important person in my life. The only one who could convince me of how great Christmas is.”

“What?” Blaine asked mockingly.”I believe there is one other. Come on, what do you associate with the word ´Christmas´ now?”

From the corner of his eye he caught Kurt gazing at him and he waited patiently for the answer to come.  
Kurt cleared his throat. “Tonight.”

Blaine warily look up at the house Kurt would soon vanish in, not realizing he was glaring until he noticed Kurt´s look. How had the hours of driving felt like seconds spent with him and why was it suddenly so hard to speak? There was no hand fitting perfectly into his any longer, instead they sat in the driveway, looking at each other while being silent. The longer Blaine looked into Kurt´s eyes, the more he noticed the green hue of them or the freckles dusting his nose and cheeks.

“So this is goodbye, huh?” He finally said when their looks just caused an urge to kiss Kurt.”Nice to know that you truly weren´t a serial killer.”

“Back at you.”Kurt paused.”I should go, but before that I really want to give you something for driving me.”

Before he could retrieve his wallet, Blaine stopped him. “ I don´t need money and I think we covered how irrelevant it is on a day like this. And it was fun not driving alone. I mean, it was fun having you in the car actually.”

“Yes it was.”

Silence, then: ”Can I get your number?” Kurt blurted out.”If you want me to have it, I mean.”

The attempt to appear cool about it failed rather fast when Blaine started grinning like a fool and was quick to get a piece of paper to put his number on. He held the sheet in his hands while looking for a pen in the glove compartment until it was gently taken away from him.

“Wha-“ He couldn´t utter more than that after he followed the slope Kurt´s arm created by being held upward. Above their heads a crumpled mistletoe was being held.

“I didn´t think you would participate in a Christmas tradition.” Blaine murmured because he was nervous. He chided himself right after for sounding like an idiot.

“Kiss the Grinch?” Kurt hummed quietly and Blaine was happy to oblige. Forever he would associate Christmas with  _Tonight_. The night he picked up a hitch-hiker and ended up kissing him and agreeing to a date as it was the wish Kurt demanded him to fulfill later, after their third kiss.


End file.
